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Valbuena has brief history of success against Colon

Valbuena has brief history of success against Colon

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Valbuena's solo blast 0:55

7/3/13: Luis Valbuena drills a solo home run over the right-field wall, extending the Cubs' lead to 2-0 in the top of the third inning

By Carrie Muskat
/
MLB.com |

OAKLAND -- On June 7, 2009, Luis Valbuena, then playing for the Indians, hit his first Major League home run. He connected in the second inning off White Sox starter Bartolo Colon, who served up four homers in five innings in an 8-4 loss.

On Wednesday, in only his third career at-bat against Colon, Valbuena connected again, hitting a solo home run in the third.

"He threw me a lot of fastballs, and that's what I was looking for," Valbuena said of Wednesday's home run, which helped the Cubs post a 3-1 win over the Athletics.

Colon, named the American League Pitcher of the Month for June, is now 40 years old. Is he the same pitcher when Valbuena faced him back in '09?

"Not really," Valbuena said. "Now, he can pitch wherever he wants, and he has a lot of experience. He knows what he's doing on the mound."